Verbena plant named ‘Doveremsucoblu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Doveremsucoblu’, characterized by its compact, mounding to semi-trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large deep purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Verbena X hybrida.

Cultivar Denomination: ‘DOVEREMSUCOBLU’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR AND APPLICANT

The Inventor and Applicant assert that no sales, publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or the Applicant. Inventor and Applicant claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena X hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Doveremsucoblu’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and early-flowering Verbena plants with numerous large and attractive flowers.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2017 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Verbena X hybrida identified as code number VV16-008762-004, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena X hybrida identified as code number VV14-004009-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2019.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2019 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Doveremsucoblu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Doveremsucoblu’ as a new and distinct Verbena plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding to semi-trailing plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large deep purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Verbena have darker purple-colored flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower size as plants of the new Verbena have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena hybrida ‘Lan Bule’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,604. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of ‘Lan Bule’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of ‘Lan Bule’.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Lan Bule’.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Lan Bule’.     -   4. Plants of the new Verbena have darker-colored flowers than         plants of ‘Lan Bule’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flower plant of ‘Doveremsucoblu’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 22-cm containers during the spring and early summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Verbena production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were twelve weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena X hybrida ‘Doveremsucoblu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena X             hybrida identified as code number VV16-008762-004, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena X             hybrida identified as code number VV14-004009-001, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 158A in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact, mounding to semi-trailing plant habit;             freely branching habit with about nine primary lateral             branches each with about ten secondary lateral branches;             pinching enhances lateral branch development; dense and             bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit;             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 19             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 55 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 30 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent; semi-glossy.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144A.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 144B; at the internodes, close to             144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Lobed; sinuses medium in depth and divergent.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Pubescent, coarse;             semi-glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Pubescent, coarse; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 137C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             hemispherical terminal umbels; umbels dense and mounding;             numerous umbels per plant; flowers face upward or outwardly             depending on position in the umbel; freely flowering habit             with about 15 flowers per inflorescence and about 160             flowers and flower buds per plant at one time.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             the spring through the fall in Germany; plants begin             flowering about eight weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.7 mm.             Shape: Oval to tubular. Texture and luster: Rippled; matte.             Color: Close to 83A.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Salverform, five-parted fused corolla.             Diameter: About 1.9 cm. Depth: About 2.6 cm. Throat             diameter: About 1.8 mm. Tube length: About 1.8 cm. Tube             diameter: About 1.4 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.             Petal lobe length: About 9 mm. Petal lobe width: About             9.2 mm. Petal lobe shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex:             Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat             texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when             opening, upper surface: Close to 83A. Petal lobe, when             opening, lower surface: Close to 83B. Petal lobe, fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 83B; venation, close to 83B;             color does not change with development. Petal lobe, fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 83C; venation, close to 83C;             color does not change with development. Throat: Close to             194C; venation, close to 194C. Tube: Close to 194D;             venation, close to 194D.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five fused             sepals. Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm. Sepal             length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About 0.8 mm. Sepal shape:             Ligulate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture and luster, upper surface: Pubescent, coarse;             semi-glossy. Sepal texture and luster, lower surface:             Pubescent, coarse; matte. Sepal color, when developing,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A and 144C. Sepal             color, fully developed, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             146B and 145C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             About four per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Filament             length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 155C. Anther             length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther color:             Close to 149A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 2B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 1.7 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: Close             to 145C. Stigma diameter: About 0.8 mm. Stigma shape:             Bi-parted; fimbriate. Stigma color: Close to 145B. Ovary             color: Close to 144C. Fruits: Quantity produced per plant:             About 200 during the flowering season. Length: About 9 mm.             Diameter: About 2.2 mm. Texture: Rough. Color: Close to             199C. Seeds: Quantity per flower: About four. Length: About             4.2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 199A. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Portulaca have been observed     to have good garden performance, to tolerate temperatures ranging     from 5° C. to 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zone 11. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Verbena have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Verbena plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Doveremsucoblu’ as illustrated and described. 